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Thursday, 13 December 2012

Avoiding the Corporate Christmas Blues

Ever notice how much
Christmas is actually just a huge bummer? I mean, I get it…Being seduced by
‘The Christmas Spirit’ is great, and I’ll admit to feeling jolly after stuffing
myself stupid with cranberry sauce, literally turning my stomach in a bow full
of jelly. The fact of the matter is, though, for many us, a more accurate
opening line for ‘Deck The Halls’ would read ‘Tis the season to be stressed and
feel like dying’.

When Christmas lights rape your head.

We’ve overcomplicated
things because of the significance that gets uncontrolably packed into a few important
weeks of holiday. The ‘cheer’ part only seems to resurface in short waves when
you’re not sardined into a lineup at
Wal Mart or attending the infinitely long and useless company holiday pot
latch. When all is said and done, it feels almost emancipating to free oneself
of the festive season, no longer bound by solving mysterious gift ideas or navigating
the pandemonium of shopping centres during Early Christmas, Black Weekend,
Green Thursday, Mid-December, Pre-Christmas, Pre-Pre Christmas, Last Minute,
Last Second,
I-Literally-Forgot-to-Buy-My-Wife-Something-and-its-6am-on-December-25th,
Boxing Day, Boxing Week, New Years and Just-For-Shits-and-Giggles sales. In
lieu of the aforementioned, it’s no surprise that something called ‘holiday
depression’ is now considered a serious disorder that has become
commonplace during this time of year.

Three years ago, I did
something that would change the course of Christmas forever: I abstained from
gift giving/receiving. This simple yet oh so season-changing decision was met
with chagrin from family members and passive scolding from friends, but was
also the smartest thing I’d done in a long, long,
panic-induced-from-buying-presents time. That December, I avoided all things
with a price tag like the plague and didn’t step one foot into a mall, instead
finding more time for myself and the people around me. The residual effects on
my student-sized wallet and time management strategy were unbelievable, but
what made the largest impact were the other changes it would catalyse.

I immediately regret posting this.

I’ve found the simple
act of refusing gift exchanges has forced me to find a new approach to
Christmas. Suddenly, other, less tangible things became more important, and
consequently my experience of Christmas has changed shape over the past few
years. My partner and I don’t buy things for each other; instead, we go on
trips over the break. This year, I’m co-hosting Christmas Eve for the family
for the first time. I read books, see old friends and make food. I’m spending
more time preparing for holiday events at PARC instead of creating gift lists.

This isn’t a shameless
self-plug or boastful post, nor is it an anti-corporate politically charged
message. I am not suggesting widespread gift-less holidays (some people just
can’t help it, as I’ve come to learn after having a few slipped to me every
year in the wake of my ‘no gifting’ protests). I am suggesting a toning down of
the things that are merely physical things,
because those things don’t get us
closer to each other.

Think about it: what’s
the worst thing that could happen if you reduced gift giving? A few long faces
on Christmas Day? Confused children? Now brainstorm the benefits. We have a
hard time abstracting the true meaning of this time of year from the boxes
wrapped in shiny paper, but I promise you that fewer things under the tree
equal a Christmas where you don’t feel like sticking your head in an oven. And that’s
just priceless.

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I am a curious person by nature and have an immense passion for learning and new experiences. Travelling and stepping out of my comfort bubble are huge parts of my life. I try to live creatively with everything I do while supporting the global community as both a leader and a student.